The highest paying industries attract a lot of potential students and job seekers each year because salary and job security are extremely important factors in choosing a career. However, it can often be hard to know how to get your foot in the door when just starting out. If you are interested in how to get started in the highest paying industries, here are a few tips to start climbing that ladder.
The healthcare field is home to quite a few of the highest paid professions. One way to get your foot in the door is to become a medical assistant, surgical assistant or similar role that pays well and can get you into the field without needing to spend the time and money on an advanced degree right off the bat. If you are interested in becoming a medical assistant, you can look into medical assistant programs. You can then choose to go on to medical school if you want to advance your career in healthcare. Either way, medical assistants are paid well and gain a great deal of valuable medical field experience on the job that could later be invaluable to career advancements.
If you’re interested in entering the legal field but don’t want to wait to finish your law degree to get started, there are great ways to get experience without the degree. Attorneys can easily make six-figure salaries and their assistants, paralegals, are also well compensated. Both roles utilize heavy reading, writing and research ability as well as critical thinking. Obtaining an internship or an entry-level job at a law office can get you started in the legal field and give you valuable experience that can even be put towards your degree in many cases. In some states, you can even take the bar exam without going to law school, allowing you to become a certified attorney as soon as you feel prepared.
Financial professionals generally make a good salary and are in demand to boot. Even regular accountants make $69,350 per year on average according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while financial executives such as CFOs can earn in the millions. Companies often agree to hire promising accountants right out of school, and once you get started in your first job you can begin climbing the ladder. You can do this by earning extra credentials such as the Certified Public Accountant designation and aim for promotion into management positions. Accountants are needed in every professional field, making accounting a great way to get your foot in the door even beyond a strictly accounting career.
The various tech fields are also high paying occupations. To get started, you will usually need a degree in computer science. You can also obtain specialized tech certifications at vocational schools. However, you can also be self-taught, and there are all sorts of online programs that will teach the latest programming languages. Perhaps the single best way to get started in the tech field is to start taking work. Programming, web design and similar roles can be done on a contract basis. You can simply start taking small jobs to build up experience and a portfolio of work. Building up professional experience through contract work or internships will allow you to become more marketable and give real-world experience that will put you at the top of the game as a programmer.
Fortunately, most of these industries are currently seeing major growth and jobs should be more easily obtainable. Even if you don’t have the education or credentials to start at the top, there are still ways to get started in your dream career without waiting to complete your degree first. Do some research and identify what programs may be available for you to get started in your chosen industry.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure.